Postnatal care

At NUH Maternity, we know that having your baby is the start of a new journey.

Whether you have a home birth, early discharge, or a longer stay in the hospital, we aim to provide you with support and care in this transition to a new stage in your life.

You may experience a variety of emotions after the birth of your baby. For more information on this, please see: 

            Small steps day image   Small steps day image 2 

 

Below are some useful links and resources you might find useful during your pregnancy journey

Your health after birth

Your emotions after childbirth:
https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/labour-birth/after-birth/your-mental-health-after-birth

Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health:
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/postnatal-depression-and-perinatal-mental-health/about-maternal-mental-health-problems/

Your body just after birth:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/you-after-birth/

Your post pregnancy body:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/your-body-after-childbirth/

Advice to help recovery following childbirth:
https://pogp.csp.org.uk/system/files/publication_files/POGP-FFFuture%20%281%29.pdf

Physical activity for women after childbirth:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/841936/Postpartum_infographic.pdf

Smoking and your baby:
http://smokefreeaction.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ASH_A5_HV-Resource_v8-FINAL.pdf

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/your-physical-health-as-a-new-mum

Contraception after childbirth:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/when-contraception-after-baby/ and

https://www.fpa.org.uk/sites/default/files/contraception-after-having-baby-your-guide.pdf

PICO dressings – patient information leaflet:
https://www.smith-nephew.com/global/assets/pdf/products/wound/31447%20uk%20pico%20patient%20info%20leaflet.pdf

Venous thromboembolism after birth:
https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-vt-in-pregnancy.pdf

MMR vaccination after birth for women who are not immune:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/

Anti-D after childbirth (if your blood group is rhesus negative):
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rhesus-disease/prevention/

Your baby’s health

Your baby’s ‘red book’:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/baby-reviews/

Newborn Physical Exam:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/newborn-physical-exam/

Newborn hearing screening:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/newborn-hearing-test/

Newborn bloodspot test:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/newborn-blood-spot-test/ and leaflets in different languages: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/newborn-blood-spot-screening-english-and-11-translations

Does your baby need a BCG?
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/782109/TB_BCG_baby_leaflet.pdf

Baby Check App download here:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/

What is neonatal jaundice:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/jaundice-newborn/

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/your-babys-health

You and your partner

Your emotions after childbirth:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/feeling-depressed-after-birth/

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/you-and-your-partner

Relationships after having a baby:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/relationships-after-a-baby/

How to maintain a healthy relationship after a baby has been born:
https://www.relate.org.uk/relationship-help/help-family-life-and-parenting/new-parents/how-maintain-healthy-relationship-after-baby-has-been-born

Changes to relationships after having a baby:
https://www.nct.org.uk/life-parent/your-relationship-couple/relationship-changes/changes-your-relationships-after-having-baby

Sex and contraception after childbirth:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/sex-contraception-after-birth/

Smoking and your baby:
http://smokefreeaction.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ASH_A5_HV-Resource_v8-FINAL.pdf

Caring for your baby

NHS tips for new parents:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/being-a-parent/

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/caring-for-your-baby

Baby Check App download here:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/

Safe sleep advice and reducing the risk of SIDS:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/

Caring for your baby at night:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/Caring-for-your-baby-at-night-web.pdf

Responsive feeding (bottle and breast) guide:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/Responsive-Feeding-Infosheet-Unicef-UK-Baby-Friendly-Initiative.pdf

Smoking after birth and sudden infants death syndrome (SIDS):
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/smoking/

The Dad Pad Neonatal:
https://thedadpad.co.uk/neonatal/

Dad’s still face experiment video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6czxW4R9w2g

How to register your baby’s birth – Nottingham City Council residents:
https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/information-for-residents/births-deaths-marriages/register-a-birth/

How to register your baby’s birth – Nottinghamshire County Council residents:
https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/births/how-to-register-a-birth/registering-a-birth

Handle with care: how to keep your baby safe:
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/1112/handle-with-care-guide-keeping-baby-safe.pdf

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiMjTzCnbNQ

Understanding your baby

Building a happy baby: guide for parents:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/04/happybaby_leaflet_web.pdf

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/understanding-your-baby

BBC Tiny Happy People links:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

Soothing a crying baby:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/soothing-crying-baby/

Big Little Moments – building your baby’s brain:
http://www.smallstepsbigchanges.org.uk/biglittlemoments

Breastfeeding

Off to the best start leaflet:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/11/otbs_leaflet.pdf

Positioning and attachment video:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/breastfeeding-resources/positioning-and-attachment-video/

Breastfeeding and relationships in the early days video:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/breastfeeding-resources/breastfeeding-relationships-early-days-video/

Breastfeeding; is my baby getting enough?
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/breastfeeding-is-baby-getting-enough-milk/

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/breastfeeding

From bump to breastfeeding – videos:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/breastfeeding-resources/best-beginnings-videos/

Expressing and storing breastmilk:
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/pdfs/BFN%20Expressing%20Leaflet%202019.pdf

Breastfeeding and thrush:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/breastfeeding-and-thrush/

Breastfeeding and mastitis:
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/dibm/BFN%20Mastitis%20feb%2016.pdf

Formula Feeding

NHS Guide to bottle feeding:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2008/02/start4life_guide_to_bottle_-feeding.pdf

UNICEF Guide to bottle feeding:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/11/Bottle-feeding-guidance-English-for-reference.pdf

Infant formula and responsive feeding:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/04/Infant-formula-and-responsive-bottle-feeding.pdf

Best Beginnings videos:
https://web.bestbeginnings.org.uk/web/videos/formula-feeding

Dad’s guide to bottle feeding:
https://www.dad.info/article/a-dads-guide-to-bottle-feeding

 

Community Postnatal Care

If you have a home birth or an early discharge from hospital, your midwife will provide details of the hearing screen clinic and arrangements for the newborn examination. If any abnormality is detected, follow up will be arranged with you.

Routine postnatal care consists of 3 routine support visits.These will be offered by a midwife and/ or midwifery support worker.

The first visit will be in your home, then there will be a choice of home or clinic visits offered. Where extra support is required, this will be arranged on an individual basis.

The baby will be weighed between day 5 and 8 of age, and a Newborn Blood Spot is recommended at this time. 

Contraception

It is important to consider which form of contraception you wish to use after the birth of your baby.

You can get pregnant again before your periods have restarted, even if you are fully breastfeeding.

All progesterone only methods (e.g. progesterone only pill, contraceptive injection, coil, implant) can be safely used while breastfeeding.

Please see the FPA contraception guide and discuss this with your doctor or midwife. 

Postnatal Consultant Review

You may be offered an appointment to meet with members of our multi-disciplinary team to discuss events surrounding your birth. If there has been a complication during your birth, our team will discuss this with you.

If you have not been offered an appointment, but feel you wish to discuss pregnancy or birth events, you may request an appointment.

You can speak to your midwife, or if you have been discharged, ask your GP to refer you for a postnatal review.

Your appointment will usually be longer than a routine clinic visit, and will take place at a meeting room outside of the clinic setting.